Book Notes - Skepticism

(Originally written November 9, 2006 in Book 11)

Skepticism

Skepticism was the least formal school of post-Alexandrian philosophy.

There are varying degrees of skepticism. Some just denied the dogmatism; others denied all knowledge is possible; and, some just maintained that we know nothing.

Sextus Empiricus

Sextus Empiricus compiled all of the Skeptic doctrines.

Sextus lived circa 200 AD; the first Skeptic Pyrrho died in 275 BC. Sextus' work was a long, advanced theory of 400 years of work.

Sextus Empiricus maintained that he was always in pursuit of knowledge, a lighter skeptic view than knowledge is impossible.

Sextus advocaten equipollence. Equipollence is suspended judgement and consists of opposing affirmation without a contradictory affirmation. Equipollence is seeing that alternative theories are plausible so that no matter what happens we cannot choose until one theory proves to be undeniable.

Carneades

Carneades was one of the most distinguished Academic skeptics.

Carneades maintained that we judge impressions by other impressions. The concurrence of impressions is the criteria of knowledge.

He admits that this infallible, but that the impressions were reliable enough to trust.

The Final Goal of Skepticism

Skepticism was dominated by ethical and religious concerns.

The skeptics searched for peace of mind. Peace of mind came through the realization and acceptance that nothing is absolutely certain.

All post-Alexandrian philosophy were concerned with answering problems of a tired culture. Hope was gone and the philosophy schools hoped to alleviate the hopelessness. "But this natural peace could not hope to complete with the appeal of that deeper peace - the peace that past understanding - that was assured by a transcendent and otherworldly religion" (Jones, 353).